Social and vocational reintegration of paraplegic and tetraplegic patients in Switzerland.

The purpose of this statistical review (based on 90 acute SCI admissions into the Swiss Paraplegic Centre, Basle in 1979), is to give, in the form of an evaluation, consideration to the social and vocational significance of the patients' disability. Seventy patients (77.8 per cent), are working or will work, (of 35 tetraplegics, 25, of 55 paraplegics, 45); and 67.8 per cent drive a car. So far as marital status is concerned there have been no significant changes as yet. The important question of resettlement was ideally solved in 80 per cent of patients. The improvement of education following injury was in general relatively limited. Twenty-five per cent reported that they have improved their education subsequent to their disability, these coming from the group having initially more than basic education. Socio-economic conditions of our patients are satisfactory. Cases of hardship have been substantially supported by the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation.